Salted Caramel Brownies

Let me get you a napkin for that bit of drool you’ve got trailing down from your lower lip…

These lovely salted caramel brownies are courtesy of a recipe I tagged a few months back in Cooking Light. I’ve been dying to make them but I had no good reason to… and honestly I was trying to avoid having an entire batch of delicious brownies sitting on my kitchen counter BEGGING me to eat them. Seriously. I have control when it comes to a lot of things in life. Chocolate is not one of those things.

Eureka! This was the perfect excuse to make the brownies!! Just think of the Sweet Swap as an arranged penpal relationship… with benefits. Sweet benefits.

Without further ado, let’s get to it!

Combine the following in a big ole bowl:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

Then combine these guys in a little bowl:

6 tbsp melted butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour the wets into the dries and stir to combine the thickest brownie batter you’ve ever laid eyes on.

The recipe calls for baking these guys in a 9 inch square metal pan coated with cooking spray for 19 minutes at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. I baked mine in an 8 inch glass dish for 20 minutes, then 5 more minutes, then 5 MORE minutes.. then got impatient and took them out. Seriously, every time I bake brownies the darn toothpick NEVER comes out clean. Anyone else have this issue??

After the brownies cool completely, it’s time to make the caramel deliciousness. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small pot, then whisk in:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1.5 tbsp evaporated fat-free milk

Cook for two minutes, then remove from heat and whisk in:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Spread the yum sauce over the brownies:

Once everything cooled off completely I decided to extract the brownies from the pan….

Oh dear…

It looks like a Brownie Massacre.

Then I cut the hunks o’ brownie into tiny little brownie babies. Why did I think brownies would be a good idea again??

Next up is the chocolately drizzle. The following go into a microwave safe bowl:

2 tbsp evaporated fat-free milk

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds or until melted, stirring after 20 seconds. I scraped the chocolate into a ziplock baggie, snipped the corner off with scissors, and drizzled it over the brownie squares.

Disaster.

Then I sprinkled the tops with a bit o’ sea salt, picked the prettiest 12 of the bunch, and tucked them neatly into metal tray:

They kind of look like the photo… kind of.

So Molly @ Hungry Hungry Runner, I PROMISE these were edible and pretty and neatly packed when I shipped them. Whatever happens after this point is on the hands of the USPS.

I bet you’re wondering what I did with all those leftover brownies, huh? All I can say is these brownies are seriously delicious. More like fudge than brownies (probably due to my aforementioned brownie baking incompetencies). ABSOLUTELY delicious and seriously sweet. I stuck a few in the freezer for this weekend too 🙂

I am soooooo lucky!!!! And *love* these! If there any left by Saturday, I’ll be shocked! You’re the best! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And though the Sweet Swap is over, you can still send me baked good whenever you’d like. Open invitation. 😉